Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Rangers, Dundee, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Griffiths, Tierney, Djoum, Defoe, Kent, Mackay-Steven

Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic are on the brink of sealing a deal for US defender Andrew Gutman, 22, who was recently on trial with Rangers. (Daily Record)

The American owners at Dundee have entered into negotiations with fans to give them complete control at Dens Park. (Evening Telegraph)

Championship leaders Ross County reject an offer from Dundee for attacking midfielder Michael Gardyne. (Sun)

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson is the bookmakers' favourite to become Luton Town boss after Nathan Jones quit the League One club to join Stoke City. (Scottish Sun)

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will seek showdown talks with Leigh Griffiths to ask why the striker was at a racetrack when he was supposed to be receiving help for several problems in his personal life. (The Herald)

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has told Leigh Griffiths, handed indefinite leave a month ago to help him with off-field problems, he is not on holiday after the 28-year-old striker took to social media at the weekend to release a statement saying his absence is down to a mental health state and not a gambling problem after pictures appeared of him at Newcastle Racecourse. (Daily Record)

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is not sure if Kieran Tierney will need surgery on the hip problem that has sidelined the 21-year-old Scotland left-back since the middle of last month. (The Scotsman)

Celtic fought off a late bid by Inter Milan to secure Vakoun Issouf Bayo for £2m, but the 22-year-old was not keen on being loaned out to Parma for the rest of the season. (Daily Express, print edition)

Rangers are planning to hold talks with Liverpool at the end of the season over a possible permanent deal for on-loan winger Ryan Kent. (Daily Record)

Rangers director of football Mark Allen has revealed that he will remain in dialogue with Liverpool over a potential extended deal for winger Ryan Kent. (The Herald)

Major League Soccer club New York City are in talks with Aberdeen's Gary Mackay-Steven, the 28-year-old Scotland winger whose contract expires in the summer. (Sky Sports)

Hearts manager Craig Levein has revealed that Arnaud Djoum "might leave in the summer" after admitting that the money the 29-year-old midfielder is looking for is outwith the Scottish Premiership club's budget. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Hearts have taken Spanish striker Alhagi Touray, a 19-year-old who plays for third-tier club Santvicenti, on trial at their week-long training camp on the outskirts of Murcia. (Daily Record)

St Mirren are poised to sign former Slovakia striker Tomas Malec, the 26-year-old who is a free agent after leaving Zalgiris Vilnius in Lithuania. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Dean Lyness, defender Conor O'Keefe and winger Jeff King are the latest players to leave the Paisley club. (Daily Mail)

St Mirren manager Oran Kearney has not given up hope of persuading centre-half Anton Ferdinand to extend his short-term deal until the summer but fears the veteran may return to English football during January. (Scottish Sun, print edition)

Kilmarnock midfielder Greg Kiltie is poised to complete a loan move to Championship club Greenock Morton for the remainder of the season. (Daily Record)

Kilmarnock have agreed a new one-year contract with 20-year-old midfielder Iain Wilson. (Sky Sports)

Neil McCann, recently sacked by Dundee, has emerged as a candidate to take over as manager of League Two outfit Carlisle United after John Sheridan left for Chesterfield. (Daily Mail)

Jermain Defoe has revealed how he grew up idolising former Ibrox striker Ally McCoist and that a conversation with former Rangers player and manager Graeme Souness helped him make the move to the Glasgow club on loan from Bournemouth. (Daily Record)

Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe says former Rangers manager Graeme Souness told him all about the Old Firm, former Ibrox striker Kenny Miller spoke highly of the club and present manager Steven Gerrard sold him on a loan move. (The Herald)

Bournemouth are considering a loan move for Everton's Glasgow-born Republic of Ireland midfielder, James McCarthy. (Daily Mail)

New Hearts signing David Vanacek has describing himself as a "warrior" who wants to win silverware and become Scotland's top goalscorer. (The Scotsman)

Hibernian defender Steven Whittaker has revealed how being knocked back by Manchester City sparked his football career into life and that he was even rejected for a job as an electrician before being offered a deal by the Edinburgh club. (The Scotsman)